BRIDGETON — The man who Republicans accused of voter fraud in the run-up to the general election this month is fighting back, claiming libel and defamation against several South Jersey political bloggers, including Millville resident Carl Johnson.

Marcus R. Wilson Sr., from Pleasantville, through his attorney on Nov. 7 filed a complaint against Johnson, a Republican activist, and his blog Magazzu Watch, as well as another conservative blog called Save Jersey and its writers, demanding they “desist and refrain from making false, disparaging or defaming remarks about Marcus Wilson.”

The motion was granted by a judge, which kept negative coverage of Wilson out of both blogs.

However, in a hearing on Friday before Superior Court Judge Georgia Curio, assignment judge for the Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem county courts, the court granted Johnson’s motion to lift the restrictions, and additionally decided to proceed with a jury trial on the claims of defamation and libel.

Both Johnson and Save Jersey have 20 days to answer the charges brought on by Wilson.

In the complaint, Wilson’s attorney, Kathleen Bonczyk, points to several blog entries in which the authors matter-of-factly refer to Marcus’ campaign activities while working for Democratic candidates in Atlantic and Cumberland counties as voter fraud.

Other entries accuse Wilson of income tax evasion, a charge Bonczyk stated is particularly damaging considering his profession as a tax preparer and consultant.

Bonczyk stated Wilson could not have committed voter fraud, as defined by state statute, as he was merely assisting potential voters with applying for mail-in ballots.

“Johnson, as the former chair of the Republican Party in Millville, is well aware of the difference between a ballot and an application and moreover that it was not Wilson’s role to verify application information, which falls under the jurisdiction and duty of the county clerk and board of elections,” said Bonczyk in a statement.

She added: “Despite Johnson’s vast knowledge of election procedure, he still chose to publish these libelous statements regarding Wilson as well as Wilson’s home address and signature which left Wilson in fear of his family’s safety and possible identity theft.”

Johnson’s attorney, Frank Corrado, from Wildwood, stated his client is protected by First Amendment and the New Jersey State Constitution.

“The court’s decision today was that it will not be a summary judgment, but a regular defamation trial process,” said Corrado. “We believe that a robust debate on defamation should occur in the public.”

Richard DeMichele, attorney for Save Jersey, did not respond to a message left at his Haddon Heights office seeking comment. However, in court documents filed on Nov. 15, DeMichele argued Save Jersey is protected from claims of libel and defamation because Wilson is a public figure — or a limited public figure — meaning Wilson would have to prove actual malicious intent.

Corrado agreed that Wilson is a public figure.

Wilson’s attorney works for the firm Long, Marmero & Associates, where Cumberland County Democratic Co-chair Doug Long is a partner.

Democratic Cumberland County freeholder candidates Bill Whelan, Jim Dunkins and Tony Surace each paid Wilson for get out the vote and other services throughout the campaign.

Wilson hand-delivered at least 1,000 mail-in ballot applications to the county clerk’s office. A number of those, including 20 out of the first 565, were rejected for problems and inconsistencies, leading Republican officials to cry foul.

In total, about 100 applications were rejected, while more than 4,000 were approved by the clerk’s office.

Cumberland County GOP Chair Bob Greco has submitted a letter to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office regarding the first 20 rejected applications, stating: “One application was completed by a 14-year-old minor, and another application was completed with the address of a resident from the City of Newark, other applications were completed with his signature or voters claiming forgery of their names and applications submitted by individuals who are currently on parole and/or probation of felony convictions.”